Three Men Plead Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Lodi Bar Beating Death

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, California (KCRA) —

Three individuals have recently pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges in connection with the brutal beating death of a Lodi man outside a bar in San Joaquin County. Aaron Davis, Jason Blasingame, and Lloyd Strack entered their pleas on October 12th, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the San Joaquin Superior Court. The San Joaquin District Attorney’s Office has sentenced each of them to six years in prison for felony manslaughter.

The victim, identified as 45-year-old Steven Buchan, tragically lost his life in the incident. However, the family members of Buchan, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed their disappointment with the sentencing, feeling that justice was not adequately served.

“He was discarded initially and this sentencing really feels like that just occurred again,” one family member lamented.

The sentencing has raised questions among Buchan’s loved ones regarding the investigation process and the appropriateness of a six-year sentence for the three men, considering the violent nature of the crime.

“It’s just senseless,” the family member continued. “How can one go to an establishment and end up dead, simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

It is worth noting that Buchan did not frequent this particular bar, according to his family.

In November of last year, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office appealed to the public for assistance in locating Jason Blasingame, who was initially at large. Authorities reported that on May 1, 2022, in the early hours, Buchan was viciously assaulted and left to die outside a bar in Clements, a rural town located approximately 12 miles east of Lodi.

A news release by the sheriff’s office in November 2022 revealed that Aaron Davis and Lloyd Strack were already in custody at that time. The release also disclosed that both Blasingame and Strack were affiliated with the Stockton chapter of the Hells Angels, a notorious motorcycle club.

As the family members of the deceased man question the fairness of the sentencing, they have expressed their intention to meet with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office in the coming week. They hope to gain further information and an explanation regarding the sentences handed down to the three men.

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